KIRKUS REVIEW

A screenwriter and film buff
plunges into the bizarre world of film collectors, finding people willing to
sacrifice anything to preserve a dying art.

Even as former programmer for the American
Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, Bartok’s love of film pales in
comparison to that of his interviewees, including writing partner Joseph, a
motion picture archivist later revealed to have “gone to jail for the movies.”
Bartok often narrates in the first person, showcasing impeccable comedic
timing, as he enters memorabilia-stuffed projection rooms, views prized reels,
and listens to incredible stories from a time when access to film was severely
restricted. The collectors see benefits of new technologies, but as Gremlins director Joe Dante points out,
“it’s the B-pictures, the grindhouse and exploitation films…that are most in
need of preservation.” Many of these collectors have dedicated their lives to
those ephemeral pieces of film, sacrificing marriages and enduring legal
battles to discover a lost Fred Astaire dance or save a nonsensical 1940s
short. Each offers something to astonish hard-core film buffs, and many unearth
the larger issues at stake: the changing consumption of film; the powerful
forces regulating that consumption; and, most intriguingly, how film’s escapism
can consume the viewer. Bartok and Joseph dutifully document anti-social
behaviors and run-ins with studios, the FBI, or even the mob, but it isn’t
until later chapters, structured more around theme than individuals, that they
arrive at some truly fascinating reflections on the dynamic between collector
and reel. Too many early chapters come off as short, disjointed biographies of
individuals obsessed with film rather than one cohesive study of the community
and its larger concerns. However, with each eccentric collector interviewed,
Bartok and Joseph have certainly done their part to preserve some strange and
often overlooked imagery.

A collection of singular encounters
with a film subculture, some failing to develop the larger concerns but
many offering unique insight into the darker fringes of a bygone Hollywood.

Be the first to discover new talent!
Each week, our editors select the one author and one book they believe to be most worthy of your attention and highlight them in our Pro Connect email alert.
Sign up here to receive your FREE alerts.